Old ML / SL3's - how will I know when the panels need to be replaced ?

[malcesine]

Total newbie to ML speakers but loving the older pair of SL3's I picked up recently.:rocker:

I read a lot about ES panels and how they need replaced after a certain period of time or they deteriorate badly in performance.

Question is...how will I know ?

These are the only ML's I have ever heard so have no point of reference.

Will a bad or deteriorating panel be obvious ?
Do i get volume reduction ? Crackles and hisses ? Loss of sparkle in treble ? Something else ?

They sound superb to me so far and integrate really nicely with the bass woofer at full bass setting so no panel volume reduction is apparent to me.

Based on serial numbers these are of Nov 1998 vintage and have never had the panels replaced.

If I look really closely at the panels through the grille they have tiny, very feint black spots at each grille hole but otherwise totally transparent and clean looking.

thanks for you help !

 

[roberto]

Hola. Perhaps your panels are great and you do not need to replace them. The sound of a bad panel is evident. You can clean yours with a shower... http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?58-Tweaks They really will granted you a better sound if you could do wash them. Happy listening!

 

[gordonmenninger]

You will know when it's time to replace them - they won't sound as they do now! I also have had the SL3 since about 5 years and absolutely love them. Mated with my Krell equipment they are just heavenly! Make sure your room treatment and placement is up to par as this will make a HUGE difference! I personally am a fan of the bigger panels and even though the newer models have better electronics / new crossovers etc, i think you cannot beat a bigger panel compared to a smaller one. The new ML speakers get smaller and smaller (except CLX!) due to WAF and pressures from interior designers which is not necessarily the best scenario for sound quality! If i ever upgrade my SL3 i will probably go to the Prodigy!
Enjoy your speakers - for that money there is not much competition!

 

[TomDac]

When they don't take your breath away, something is wrong. Vacuum them regularly. Your point of reference is right now.

 

[Tosh]

Congrats! I also have SL3 (from 2000) and have studied mine closely. On every older ML I've seen, there is a hazy spot on the film at every stator hole where it seems the coating has migrated (so this would be 'normal.')
First, SL3 needs a panel slip prevention clip (free from ML) to keep the ESL panel and bass grill from slipping down and likely getting hung up on the wires soldered to the ESL panel. That's right: when the panels slip downward, these wires eventually rest on the bottom edge of their relief pocket in the MDF frame (obvious when you disassemble them), causing strain on the soldered joints. The anti-slip clip needs another spacer (I used 1cm thick rubber feet) between the lower grill edge and the ML clip (flush with bottom of cabinet) to function as ML assumes...

Second, I would check and repair ALL screw holes in the MDF cabinet: mounting trim clips, electronics and XO, woofer, rear panel....

Third, (while everything is still disassembled) I would thoroughly inspect for debris (dust, fibers, hairs, insect parts, etc) stuck between the stators and diaphragm all around the spacers and outer edges front and rear using a stereo magnifier, light, fine brush, and vacuum. (I believe such a cleaning will be more effective and potentially less damaging than the shower job you see mentioned on this forum. I shudder at the thought of showering mine...) This cleaning can also be done without any disassembly. Stuff caught in the spacers can cause leakage noises (faint squeaks and whistles), so listening for these can also point you to some debris if you have patience -- and if you're lucky!
Good luck and enjoy! I love mine, especially now that I've gone active on the bass...

 

[malcesine]

hi guys,

Thanks for all the tips, I was kinda waiting on 'after 10 years they will most likely be on the way out' but it seems that is not always true and can last a lot longer with some care.

Tosh - when you say you have gone active on bass - are you now using a sub and not using the bass on the SL3 driver at all ? Would be interested in how you can integrate well with the panels. (I guess that's another thread)

Roberto - do they need to look / be dirty before I get any benefit from washing - I don't want to do that if I don't need to.

A Merry Xmas for tomorrow to one and all on the forum !

 

[Tosh]

To go active on the bass, I bypassed the passive bass XO and am using an electronic XO set at 250Hz along with a separate amp for driving the SL3's woofers through the separate bi-amping terminals (so no jumpers across the speaker terminals anymore). The ESL portion is driven through the stock passive XO and EQ as before. I thought it would need some finessing to get it to integrate with the ESL, but it was not really an issue at all. And the bass sounds so much more 'attached' to the music....

 

[malcesine]

To go active on the bass, I bypassed the passive bass XO and am using an electronic XO set at 250Hz along with a separate amp for driving the SL3's woofers through the separate bi-amping terminals (so no jumpers across the speaker terminals anymore). The ESL portion is driven through the stock passive XO and EQ as before. I thought it would need some finessing to get it to integrate with the ESL, but it was not really an issue at all. And the bass sounds so much more 'attached' to the music....

So I need a sub with a > 250hz cross over and simply use the sub instead of the woofer on the SL3?

 

[guido]

So I need a sub with a > 250hz cross over and simply use the sub instead of the woofer on the SL3?

As mentioned in the other thread, you will get best results by *supplementing* the SL3's own woofer with a sub, not by attempting to substitute one for the other. This will allow you to set the sub's crossover point very low (mine is set at 30 Hz), which will facilitate integration of sub to main speakers. For music, not HT, the worst thing you can do to kill off the SL3's transparency is to have too much bass, i. E, to set your sub crossover too high or your sub's gain too high.

Enjoy your SL3s! They are excellent speakers.

Guido F.

 

[Scottgronsbell]

woofer xo values

can anyone tell me the values of the original sequel wooofer XO's.
I saved the Caps which are 140mfd and 100 volt, but I tossed the old woofers which I assume had a inductor as well attached. I have a new set of woofers and need to replace that XO